Kyle Busch‘s challenging run in the NASCAR Cup Series continued at Charlotte Motor Speedway during Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400, intensifying the narrative around what’s shaping up to be the Kyle Busch worst NASCAR season. Early contact in the race with Carson Hocevar caused Busch’s No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to hit the wall, setting a grim tone for his day and further impacting his season.
Collision at the Roval Adds to Busch’s Difficulties
As Sunday’s race began, Busch became tangled with Carson Hocevar in turn 1, forcing him into the wall and leaving his car heavily damaged. Despite managing to rejoin the competition, Busch found himself laps down and out of contention from the start. This incident marked another setback for a season already under scrutiny.
Season Statistics Highlight Ongoing Struggles
Busch’s challenges this year are highlighted by his lackluster race results. If his current pace holds, he will leave Charlotte with a mere eight top-10 finishes out of 32 races in 2025, dropping below his previous lowest mark of ten top-10s from last season, which spanned 36 races. With only four races left, Busch faces the very real prospect of recording a career low in this important metric, further fueling discussions about his performance decline.
His average finishing position has also become a concern, coming into Charlotte at 18.3—the same result he posted in 2024. Sunday’s setback is expected to worsen this number, although it is unlikely Busch will sink below his 21st-place average from his rookie year in 2005. Nonetheless, these statistics underscore how 2025 could become the most challenging year in his Hall of Fame–worthy NASCAR career.
Public and Broadcast Reaction to Early Crash
The USA broadcast captured the misfortune almost comedically, underlining just how tough this season has been for the accomplished driver.
“You’ve got to get through there safely, which everybody does…except Kyle Busch!”
— USA broadcast
Significance for Busch and Richard Childress Racing
Kyle Busch’s wave of misfortune in 2025 stands in stark contrast to his consistent success and reputation as one of the sport’s best. Now, as he heads into the final stretch of the NASCAR Cup Series season with only a handful of races remaining, the focus will be on whether he and Richard Childress Racing can salvage any momentum. The cumulative struggles not only impact Busch but also challenge the team’s standing in the competitive landscape.
As observers and stakeholders, including notable names like Mark Martin and organizations such as NASCAR and Yardbarker, monitor the final races, it remains to be seen how this chapter will affect Busch’s legacy and future prospects both for himself and his team.
Cup race at the Roval begins with Kyle Busch in the wall in the opening corner.
"You've got to get through there safely, which everybody does…except Kyle Busch!"
Unintentional comedy by the USA broadcast. A comic outcome, already, in what has been the worst year of Busch's… pic.twitter.com/IeYsc8dnNm
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) October 5, 2025
